My great grandmother Margaret (O’Rourke) Gaffaney is buried in Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, New Zealand, along with her husband Peter Dominic Gaffaney, their son Michael Dominic and his wife Agnes (Burke).

The monumental masons managed to bodge both gravestones – getting the date of death wrong for my great grandfather, and again for his son.

Not long after my great grandparents, Peter and Margaret Gaffaney, moved to Rangiora in North Canterbury, Margaret died “unexpectedly” at the age of 46 (though her death certificate gives her age as 42) on 16th November 1931. The cause of death was “Perinephritic Abscess, Toxaemia and secondary Haemoerrhage”.1

My grandfather was just 21 when his mother died, and of course my father and his siblings never knew her. My poor great grandfather spent 23 years a widower.

Obituary, Margaret (O'Rourke) Gaffaney, 1931 (publication unknown)

MRS MONICA MARGARET GAFFANEY, RANGIORA

On November 16, there passed away at Rangiora, Mrs Margaret Monica Gaffaney, wife of Mr. Peter Gaffaney, well-known throughout Canterbury. Death was unexpected, and occurred after an operation necessitated by a sudden illness. Mrs. Gaffaney was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. B. O’Rourke, of Napier. She was educated at the Sacred Heart Convent, Napier, and upon her marriage took up residence with her husband in the South Island. Mr. and Mrs. Gaffaney resided at Fairlie for ten years, following that at Waimate for eight, and had been living at Rangiora for the past three years. The deceased lady was noted for her genial kindness and brightness of disposition, and her charming personality won for her a very wide circle of friends in the South and elsewhere. During her last illness, Mrs. Gaffaney was attended by Rev. Father Leen, parish priest at Rangiora, a close friend of the sorrowing family. At the Requiem there were present in the sanctuary, besides the celebrant (Rev. Father Leen), Rev. Fathers A. Keane and S. O’Connor, of St Mary’s, Christchurch, and Rev. P. Cahill. The Mass was sung by the children of the convent school in the presence of a crowded congregration of relatives and friends. At the graveside in the Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, the burial service was conducted by Rev. Father P. Cahill, of Hastings, nephew of the deceased, assisted by Rev. Father Leen. Surviving are Mr. Peter Gaffaney, husband of the deceased, and their son Dominic, as well as brothers and sisters of the deceased. R.I.P.

Prime Minister John Key has requested a two-minute silence around New Zealand to show respect for those fallen and affected by the Christchurch earthquake.

This may be New Zealand’s single most tragic event.

I am calling on New Zealanders to stop and remember those who have lost their lives, those who are missing and the hundreds of people who are mourning family and friends.

At 12.51pm this Tuesday, the 1st of March, I am asking that New Zealand stops for two minutes as a sign of unity for the people of Canterbury who are enduring a tragedy beyond what most of us can imagine.

For those overseas wanting to participate in sync with New Zealand, find out your time so you can be in silence with us.

My great great grandparents, Michael Gaffaney and Margaret Brosnahan, married on December 26th, 1863 at the Catholic Chapel in Christchurch. Michael gave his age as 23, and occupation labourer. Margaret’s age was listed as “full”, and her occupation servant.2 According to Margaret’s obituary:

…the young couple having to visit Christchurch to get married. They travelled by coach, and the reason they had to go to Christchurch was that it was only twice a year a clergyman visited South Canterbury.

They lived at their farm “Belper” in Arowhenua, South Canterbury, named after Michael’s birthplace in Derbyshire, England. Michael and Margaret had fifteen children, with one being stillborn. They were:34